Gleb Savchenko and his Dancing With the Stars partner, Hilaria Baldwin, were thrilled by Carrie Ann Inaba revealing that late judge Len Goodman “would have loved” their latest performance.
“I always say we’re doing it for Len,” Savchenko, 42, exclusively told Us Weekly following the latest DWTS live show on Tuesday, September 30. “There’s a lot of content. There’s a lot of samba. I don’t think I’ve ever done the level of samba that we danced tonight in the entire history of the show. … So, I’m so proud of us. I am incredibly proud.”
The dance pro added, “We got the first 8 from [judge] Derek [Hough]! That speaks volumes, because he knows what he’s talking about. And I think it was beautiful.”
With Hilaria’s husband, Alec Baldwin, and close friend Kris Jenner watching from the studio audience, the Baldwins star and her professional dance partner scored an impressive 22 from the judges for their samba set to “Shake It to the Max (Fly) [Remix].”
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“I had the most fun,” Hilaria, 41, told Us. “I think one of the things that makes Gleb very unique is his desire to stay authentic to the actual dance. And, you know, it’s maybe [that] we may have fewer tricks and fewer props and stuff like that, but it is really hard work, and he’s so committed to it.”
She went on, “Anytime I question [adding theatrics], he’s like, ‘No, no, we do it for Len. We do it for Len.’ And I love that. It’s really wonderful.”
The DWTS pair later opened up about the process of starting from scratch with a brand new dance challenge each week.
“This is a job,” Hilaria pointed out. “This is an experience where you work every day, and tomorrow, at 5 o’clock in the morning, we are off to work. I kid you not, [we’re] off to work. And it’s wonderful work, but it means I am not here to have people, I don’t know the nice way to say, shine my shoes.”
Hilaria elaborated that “the most important” lesson she’s learned throughout the competition has been to “get up and do it [all] again” each week.
“[Gleb] is a very good person for me, because he is very honest,” she said. “He works me hard, but he’s very kind, and he tells me to be kind to myself. That is something I need to hear at this point in my life.”
Hilaria also discussed how exciting it was to have her close friend Jenner in the ballroom to support her on TikTok Night. (Jenner’s children Kim and Rob Kardashian have both competed on Dancing With the Stars in the past.)
“Kris has been somebody that is one of those angels that comes into your life and you’re like, ‘What have I done? What have I done to deserve this kind of unconditional support?’” Hilaria revealed to Us. “She’s a wonderful mother, a wonderful person and really is just that friend that shows up because she wants to, because she loves you, and I am very grateful for that kind of energy in my life.”
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Savchenko and Hilaria’s score of 22 overall guaranteed they were safe in week 3, though Fifth Harmony’s Lauren Jauregui and Brandon Armstrong weren’t quite as lucky, as they were sent home after landing in the bottom three along with Andy Richter and Emma Slater as well as Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten. Jauregui delivered an instantly iconic reaction to her elimination, admitting to DWTS cohosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro that she was “pissed” to be sent home.
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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